Monday, September 17, 2012

This morning was our day for Red Cross service. Elder Gowans had a couple of interesting experiences. First he took a fellow out to the parking lot and found out he was from Fort Jackson, up near Columbia. So he asked him how many soldiers went through basic training every year. Amazingly enough, he told him around 80,000. Of that number, whatever it may actually be, we receive around 20 to 30 here for AIT. We also receive soldiers from other basic training bases too.

The second interesting thing that happened was Elder Gowans stepped into the elevator after taking a patient down to the parking lot and there was a fellow in the elevator who had very severe scars and stitches up and down both legs. They were very random running up and down his legs, over his knees and so forth. Then he had a huge, egg shape bulge coming from his left cheek. Elder Gowans said, "What in the world did you do to yourself?" He responded, "I got blew up in Afghanistan, sir"! Elder Gowans replied, "Oh my, at least you are alive to tell the story"! At that moment he left the elevator, but just 15 minutes later they ran into each other again in the elevator. Elder Gowans said, "Well, hello again". He then reached out his hand and shook it and said, "Thank you for your service."

After the Red Cross service, Elder Gowans and Brother Estep the servicemen's group leader, took a couch to a sister who needed one for her apartment; her husband is an AIT student, so she lives by herself there. Next, he mowed our dear Sister's lawn whose husband is deployed.